Zuko
I was laying in bed thinking about our time together these past two weeks. I looked down and Sam was still sound asleep on my chest. Our vacation went by in a blur. The time Sam and I were able to spend together was total bliss and I hated for it to end. But end it must. Today we would return home. I laid stroking her free arm as I stared at the ceiling. I wish this could be our life all the time. But it couldn't. We were the rulers of our fine nation and we had duties to attend to. Still, I sometimes dreamed of a different life together. The three of us living a normal, uneventful life. I had gotten a taste of it these past two weeks. Perhaps she and I would have it. One day. Finally, I felt Sam starting to stir. She rubbed her eyes, waking herself up.
"Mmm. Zuko. What time is it?"
"I'd say we are approaching noon." I guessed just based on how long it's been light out.
"Noon! I can't believe I've been sleeping this late on our vacation."
"I'm glad you're getting your rest. I've been sleeping late too." I said. Sam scoffed.
"What? Instead of getting up at 4am you're getting up at 430am?" she asked, joking. I laughed too.
"No, I've been sleeping til around 8 or 9. Good we are coming back a day before we start working again and we will have a day to acclimate again."
"Yes, that was good planning on your part. I can't wait to see Izumi though. Do you think she will still recognize us?" she asked, joking again.
"Perhaps. I think WE won't recognize HER. She's probably grown a few inches." I joked back. Sam laughed.
"When do we depart?" Sam asked.
"Well, everything is packed so we just have to leave. The servants will come to clean everything once we are gone." I said. Sam sighed.
"Does this have to end? It's been so nice just the two of us. I mean, I miss Izumi, but it's been nice not having servants. Our closeness. I think we made love more these past two weeks than we have in the past year." she said.
"At least." I said, "It has been nice. And when we first got here and you dismissed them all, I thought I'd starve to death."
"And to your surprise, you didn't."
"No, and I learned my wife is a good cook." I said.
"I manage." she said.
"You're too modest. You are excellent." I said and kissed the top of her head. With that, she started to sit up.
"I guess we may as well face the music. Time to get dressed." she said. She stood up and walked over to the dresser for clothes. She had no clothes on and she looked beautiful in the sunlight.
"Do you have to put clothes on? You look stunning as you are. The sun reflecting off of your olive skin. I love the way it bounces off your breasts and backside." I said as I climbed out of bed.
"I might turn a few heads when we walk back into the palace." she chuckled.
"I suppose so."
"Do YOU have to get clothes on? I love seeing your body against the beach. You're so cut and muscular. And I love being able to see your…asset…in it's glory." she said, glancing down below my waist. I smiled and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her. She rested her head back against my chest.
"Maybe we could stay here for another year or two? I'll miss this. All of it. Our closeness. Our intimacy. Our skin against each other. It's almost like it was when we first married." I said, kissing her neck. She wrapped her hand around my neck and she pulled my face down so our lips met. My hands explored her body and they both rested on her breasts. She pulled back and we made eye contact and she playfully bit her lip. Turns out, we had one last go before leaving. Next thing I knew, she was bent over the bed and I was inside her. I kept my hands on her hips, holding her in place. She laid on the bed squeezing the blankets and moaning in pleasure. I reached my hands up to hers and laced our fingers together as both of us climaxed. When we finally started to come back down, we remained in the same position - her on the bottom and me laying on top of her, my head resting on her back. Our breathing started to slow back to normal.
"I think…I think we have to get dressed, my love." Sam said. I grimaced.
"You're right. But I don't want to." I said. I stood up to allow her to stand. I grabbed hold of her upper arm, helping her to her feet. We both finally got dressed and grabbed the last of our belongings. We walked out and Sam looked back at the house, longingly. I walked up behind her and wrapped my hand around her waist. She looked up at me and a tear escaped her eyes.
"I hate this to end. These have been the best two weeks of my life, Zuko. Thank you for doing this for us." she said. I smiled.
"Anything for my Fire Lily." I said brushing her tear away. I took her hand and we both boarded the boat. With one last look, we sat down and enjoyed the scenery as we road back home.
We arrived at the dock of the palace and we could see Izumi, Iroh and Azula waiting for us to arrive. The boat docked and Sam and I climbed out. As expected, Izumi ran up to us and hugged me and Sam.
"Mommy! Daddy! I missed you! You were gone way to long!" She came over to me and wrapped her arms around my leg.
"We missed you too, Turtleduck." I said. I knelt down to her level, "were you a good girl while we were gone?"
"Yes, Daddy! I was! Right, Aunt Azula?" she looked back.
"Yes, squirt. We had a couple of rough nights, her not being able to sleep, but overall she was very good." Azula agreed.
"Great! I'm so proud of you, Zoom! I knew you'd be good for your Aunt Azula and your grampa." Sam said, stroking Izumi's chin.
"Yeah! And Aunt Azula and I had so much fun!"
"Well, I want to hear all about it!" I said. She grabbed me by my hand and pulled me away to show me what she'd been up to. I noticed Azula speaking to Sam after we left but I wasn't sure what it was. I couldn't think of anything else it could be about besides Izumi. I didn't have much time to think about it though, she rushed me back to her room.
"Look at what Aunt Azula and me made! She helped me draw it!" Izumi said. It was definitely a drawing of herself, Sam and me. I noticed she had drawn me without my scar. This surprised me since she only ever knew me with a scar. I oftentimes wondered if she knew it was a scar or just part of her father that she never thought about. I didn't question it though.
"Oh Izumi, this looks great! You did a wonderful job! I think you'll grow up to be an artist." I said. For a six year old, she did a marvelous job. She showed me the rest of the things she and Azula had done and told me all about the fun time she had with her. Sometimes, like today, it surprised me how much I trusted Azula now. Even with my own daughter. Ten years ago I never would have dreamed we would be here but I loved it. I wanted Azula to be part of our family. And she definitely was.
"Oh! And Grampa Iroh taught me some fun things too!"
"Yeah? What about?"
"Tea! He teached me so much about tea!" she said and I laughed. She looked puzzled at my laughter.
"Taught, hunny. Your Grampa Iroh always loved tea. Even when I was a small boy." Izumi looked even more puzzled.
"You? A small boy? But, Daddy, you're big and strong! You never were small!" she said. I laughed.
"I was a small boy a long time ago. I was small like you once." I said playfully poking her in the stomach, making her giggle. Then she looked at her drawing.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Turtleduck?"
"Did you always have…" she asked reaching up and touching my scar.
"No, hunny. I didn't." I said. I didn't want to explain this in detail to a six year old. My thoughts went to Azula speaking to Sam and I thought this was probably what it was about.
"What is it?"
"It's a scar, sweetie."
"What's a scar?"
"Well, it's when you get hurt sometimes it leaves a mark."
"Forever?"
"Yes."
"Oh! Like when I fell when I was little and hurt my knee and it never went away?" She said, holding her leg up in demonstration.
"Yes, Turtleduck. Just like that." I explained. She seemed to be distracted by her own scar and forgot about mine, to my relief. It was then that Sam came into the room.
"Mommy!" Izumi exclaimed, "Look at what I drawed!"
"Drew, hunny." Sam corrected. She looked at the picture and her brow furrowed but quickly banished it, "My this is a wonderful drawing of our family! Did you do this all by yourself?"
"Well, Aunt Azula helped me with the words." she admitted.
"Well, this is magnificent. I think we should hang it somewhere, don't you think so?" she asked me.
"I think that's a wonderful idea! How about on the wall in the hallway between us? So everyone knows we are a family." I said. Izumi's face lit with pride.
"Yeah, Daddy! That's a good idea!" I took the picture and hung it on the wall. It was then that Iroh and Azula were walking down the hall towards us. She ran over and grabbed Iroh by the hand, pulling him over.
"Grampa Iroh! Look at where Daddy hung my drawding!" she explained.
"Oh my, Izumi, it looks perfect! I can see your mother and father are quite proud of you." Iroh said. Then he looked at me. "Zuko, I will have to leave for Ba Sing Se in the morning. I need to go over everything with you before I leave." I looked at him and nodded. Back to business, I guess.
"Ok, Uncle. Did anything happen while we were gone?" I asked.
"Well, they found two more houses in the Shin Shu province. They took the girls out but they were not able to arrest everyone." This upset me.
"What?! Why not? That's unacceptable!"
"They got away, Zuko. It's bound to happen in these situation." Iroh said. Sam interjected.
"Azula, please take Izumi. I don't want her hearing this." Azula took Izumi's hand and led her away.
"But it can't happen at all! Not with this!" I shouted. I felt a soft touch on my shoulder and I looked in that direction seeing Sam looking at me disapprovingly.
"Zuko, calm down. This will happen occasionally. No one bats 1000."
"What in Agni's name does that even mean?" I asked. Sam chuckled.
"It means no one is perfect." she explained. "We have to look more at the victories and not as much at the defeats. We will get them eventually."
"And how many more people will they hurt til then?!" I shouted again.
"You can't think about that. You will drive yourself crazy."
"Well I wouldn't have to if people did their jobs right! Who was in charge of the raids?!" I turned to Iroh.
"Zuko! Enough is enough! Stop shouting!" Sam shouted back, scolding me. "We will find them. There is no reason to go all apeshit on anyone. These things happen."
"But, Sam, those poor, innocent people. It's my duty as Fire Lord to protect my people. And that includes anyone who is smuggled here illegally!" he said.
"I know that. Bu-"
"Then how can you be so calm about it!" I accused.
"For God's sake, Zuko! You know what? Fine. You want to yell at your team, then go right ahead." she said, her brow furrowed as she jabbed her finger at my chest. "But don't come crying to me when they start to fear you. Because that is exactly what is going to happen. Is that what you want?"
"Well, no bu-"
"Then stop overreacting. We will get them. You have to be patient." she said. She walked up to me and stroked my face with her hand and ran her thumb along my scar. I took a deep breath and looked into her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Sam. I was out of line." I said.
"It's ok, hunny. I understand your frustration." she said. She wrapped her arms around my waist and I wrapped my arms around her body, allowing her to comfort me. I pulled back and looked at Iroh.
"I'm sorry for overreacting. Please tell us what happened." I said. We walked to our office and Iroh filled us in on what happened during these past two weeks.